Vehicles incorporate air distribution systems for moving air through heating and cooling systems in order to heat and/or cool a passenger compartment. The air is warmed or cooled and blown through vents into the passenger compartment. Traditionally, a limited number of vents were positioned within the instrument panel. The vents included louvres for directing air toward passengers and/or windows. Additional vents and louvres directed air onto a windshield primarily for defrosting the windshield and a floor area of the vehicle for warming passenger lower extremities.
In some vehicles including minivans, sport utility vehicles and crossover utility vehicles, for example, additional vents and louvres have been added and positioned within rear portions of the passenger compartment in order to ensure the comfort of second and third row passengers. In some instances, the temperature of the air flowing through the additional vents and louvres is individually controlled by the second or third row passengers.
Traditionally, all of the louvres are mounted flush within the vents and the vents formed within a surface of the vehicle whether in the instrument panel or along an upper panel adjacent a roof. During operation, some louvres remain flush with the surfaces of the vehicle while others, center console mounted louvres for example, partially extend from the vehicle surfaces when rotated from side to side to direct air in one direction or another. The louvres also typically pivot up and down further allowing air to be directed upwardly or downwardly. Positioning these vents and louvres in this manner has been sufficient to ensure their function of providing comfort to the passengers seated within the passenger compartment.
In addition to the comfort of the passengers, it is desirable to have additional vents that may be used to perform additional functions within the vehicle. Accordingly, a need exists for auxiliary ducting capable of performing such functions. A first function may include warming and/or drying an object such as a glove, hat, shoe, boot or the like. In support of this function, the auxiliary ducting could support the objects within an area between the first and second seat rows during use. A second function may include drying the floor areas behind or in front of the first row seats where melting snow or dripping water may pool on the floor. To accommodate these functions, the auxiliary ducting would preferably be extendable and adjustable to accommodate different types of objects during use, to direct air onto the areas behind or in front of the first row seats, and to allow for easy storage during periods of non-use in an out of sight and out of the way manner. Variable air flow control may also be provided to accommodate the different functions performed by the auxiliary ducting.